Ross Gregory

Sunderland Ladies captain Steph Bannon scored two own goals as her side crashed to a 5-1 defeat at Arsenal in the Women's Super League 1.

Bannon endured a torrid afternoon, diverting the ball into her own net twice in the opening 19 minutes to give Arsenal a flying start at Boreham Wood.

A brace from Natalia Pablos Sanchon then saw Sunderland 4-0 down at the break as the game was all but over for Carlton Fairweather's side, who are struggling this time around after last season's success.

Substitute Dominique Janssen scored the fifth for Arsenal, who beat Sunderland 7-0 in the SSE Women’s FA Cup final in April, before Beth Mead hit a late consolation.

After just two minutes Bannon tried to glance an innocuous-looking cross back to keeper Rachael Laws, but turned the ball into her own net.

And then, with Natalia lurking and poised to turn in Asisat Oshoala’s teasing ball across the face of goal, Bannon had no choice but to try and intercept, but could only put it beyond Laws for the second time.

Sanchon tapping home after Vicky Losada had nutmegged Victoria Williams on the edge of the box on the half-hour.

And she netted her second on 39 minutes, when Losada deftly scooped the ball over the defence, leaving Sanchon to pick her spot in the bottom corner.

The home side created several chances after the break and Janssen finally added a well-deserved fifth on 79 minutes, when her 25-yard strike was deflected past Laws, before Mead struck from a tight angle at the death.